Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-03
CONGREGATIONAL IN COUNCIL
Annual Conference of the Congregational
Churches of This County,.

Inc annual conference OF Une COnSreRa-
tional churches of Chittenden county
opened at the First church in this city
Tuesday at 10 o'clock a. IN. The various
churches were represented as follows :
First church of Burlington, Rev. DR.. Ed
ward Halves pastor, n. K Brown dele
gate College street church of Burlng
ton, Rev. G. f. Carter pastor, Prof S. f.
Emerson, Prof. G. H, Perkins, f. b.
Whiting delegates Charlotte, Rev. A.
W. Wild pastor, f. H. Field William
Foote and B. l.. Byington delegates Col
chester William Fay delegate Essex
junction, +. p. Sawyer delegate; Hines.
burgh, Rev. A. c. Field pastor, N. Partch
delegate First church of Jericho, NJ. H.
Chaplin delegate; Second church OF
Jericho, Rev. ID. b. Bradford pastor,
Rev. j. l.. Sewal pastor, l.. A. Jack
son and l.. w. Landon delegates !;
Richmond Rev. A. Hazen pastor West
ford, Rev b. 5. Adams pastor. A. Part
ridge delegate. Williston, Rev. j. A.
Bates pastor, Mrs. w. f. Whitney dele
gate South Hero and Grand Isle were
represented by Rev. f, j. Harris pastor,
and W. G. Irish and Mr.. and Mrs. II. ID.
Allen delegates.
The conference organized with Rev.
Austin Hazen as moderator and Rev. j.
Il. Sewall rs scribe; the prayer was offered
by Rev. d. b. Bradford. The registers
report was presented by Rev. j. A. Bates
The following committees were appointed:
On business, Rev. f. Halves, d. D., Rev.
A. c. Field, Prof. j. s. Cilley on assess
ments, Rev. A. w. Wild, F. p. Sawyer.
A. Partridge; on nominations and arrange
ments for next meeting, Rev. j. A. Bates,
Rev. G. f. Carter, L. A. Jackson.
The subject "Evangelists and the
Churches was then introduced by Rev.
A. W. Wild and at the close of his re-
marks it was decided that the subject
should be discussed Wednesday morning.
after singing the conference took recess
till g p. m.
The afternoon exercises were opened
with devotional service led by n X.
Brown. Superintendent H. O, Wheeler
presented the subject 'The People and
the Pastor" showing the Importance of
united effort by the two and the various
ways of securing that end. The subject
was then generally discussed
Principal c. H. Hayden read paper on
WHO are Our Singers" He thought it
was well enough to have a choir, but ar
gued in favor of congregational singing.
After singing and prayer by DR.. o. II.
White, Prof. Goodrich gave an interesting
address on The Conduct of Worship" He
pleaded for the use of the hymns of the
masters rather than the music of to-day,
much of which wears out, whereas the
hymns that have been in use hundreds of
years have never worn out and never
will. AS to the order of hymns he insist
ed that the doXology should not be intro
duced at the beginning of the service be-
cause the mind is not prepared for it at
that time. 1t should come later when the
right spiritual attitude has been attained
He thought the reading of the psalm an
excellent feature. IF the whole congrega-
1nf yIvNr hi hty ii hn,.
the psalms might be readily chanted. He
knew the choir sometimes was disposed
not to allow the congregation to worship
with it.
He was glad that the Lords prayer was
being introduced quite generally. He
thought the congregation should respond
amen" at the conclusion of the prayer
and benediction. He was bothered to
know what it meant when spoken by the
minister. Worship by gifts was also de-
sirable. The subject was then discussed
by Rev. j. l.. Sewall, Rev Mr.. Bradford
and others and a recess was taken until
p. m.
At 100 in the evening Rev. O. H. White,
D. d., Of London delivered an address on
Africa, Her People and Her Problem"
The choir of the church furnished music,
Mr.. q. W. Davis presiding at the organ.
Rev. Mr.. Carter of the College street
church offered prayer and introduced
Rev. DR., White, who said the lecture was
not mere missionary talk, but had refer
ence to the opening up of that country to
commerce and Christianity. Africa is
nearly 5000 miles square and is divided
into 81 missionary districts. Africa has
had a strange history. Paganism has had
was once the seat of civilization and will
always have an interest for the historian
and the arch2ologist. The speaker then
sketched the history of the continent
touching upon the missionary work par
ticularly. There are two providences seen
peans furnished money and means
to explore this country, and the
Americans freed the slaves found.
The founding of the great Congo Free
state IS one of the most remarkable events.
1t has 100000 square miles, and every.
one is sure of having the full protection of
the law, There is light for that continent
yea, the morning light is breaking and
may God hasten the full day. The geo
graphical points in the lecture were made
clear by the use of large map.
At the close of the address Rev. Mr.. Car.
ter voiced the sentiments of the audience
in thanking DR.. White for his lecture and
assured him of the interest of our people
in his work. The meeting closed with
the benediction pronounced by Dr. White
The second day of the annual confer
ence of the Congregational churches of
Chittenden county, held at the First
church i'll this city, opened with devo-
tional meeting at 9 O'Clock, conducted by
Rev O. II. White, D. D. The business
session followed and then came discus
sion, opened by Rev. j. l.. Sewall of Mil
ton, on the Development of the Young
in Church Work" Mr.. Sewell thought
that we should give up the ancient idea
that all church work should be done by
old men and added that the church of the
future would be the one that brought
young material into its folds and trained it
fOr good service. AS to the question.
How shall we develop the young in this
matter, we must in the, first place train
them in the theory of church work. We
should pay much attention to definitions.
IN the second place there must be prac-
tice as we'll as instruction. The society
of Christian Endeavor seems to be the
means which God has furnished us to
bring these good results about Rev. Mr..
Carter asked for reports from the various
young peoples societies belonging to the
different churches in the county and sew
eral were given. An interesting discus
sion as to the advsability of establishing
a young peoples society in every church
4 ,I..s